Maintain healthy lifestyle during corona outbreak & how to maintain good immunity -professional dietitian advise

Had conference with professional dietitian from one of the renowned local private hospital regarding maintaining healthy lifestyle during corona outbreak & how to maintain good immunity.

Some interesting take away:

• have sufficient vitamin C & zinc to maintain good immunity.
• minimise high sodium food like instant noodles & canned food.
  -instant noodles & canned food wiht high sodium can elevate blood pressure.
  -Try to prepare simple meal with fresh ingredients. 
• maintain balance diet with plenty of immune boosting food to maintain health.
  -use healthy meal plate as guide (1/2 vegetables, 1/4 meat &others  , 1/4 grains)
• go for healthier options like lean meat, brown rice, whole grain bun whole grain noodles ,more vege.
  -chicken rice: lean meat,brown rice,more vegetables. (1/2 vegetables, 1/4 meat , 1/4 rice)
  -wonton mee: wholegrain noodles, more vege
  -mixed rice: 2 vegetables, 1 meat/tofu/egg, brown rice
  -burger: wholemeal bun, lean meat, swap fries with salad.
• avoid excessive caffeine.
  -caffeinated drinks: coffee, tea, chocolate drink, energy drink
  -can alleviate feeling of restless, anxious, irritable
  -limit the intake to not more than 2 cups /day
• 1 glass of trendy dalgona coffee ~300 calories = 1 standard balance meal. The sugar content is very high. It’s definitely ok to try but try to share your coffee to reduce consumption.
• Food Safety Precaution:
  -leftover good could harbor bacteria & unsafe.
  -2hours rules: food in room temperature for more than 2 hours should be discarded.
   -do not keep leftover food in fridge >3 days.
• small, frequent & regular meal time to prevent overeating.
  -stick to regular meal pattern
  -small frequent meal every 4 hours to prevent overeating
• get enough sleep.
  -sufficient good quality sleep
  -boost effectiveness of T cell (immune cell)
  -at least 7-8hrs/day
• exercise.
  -mood boosting & immune boosting
  -stretching, yoga / exercise with streaming short workout video at home to stay active
• stay mentally strong & maintain positive thinking.
  -read from credible sources to avoid misinformation & create unnecessary anxiety 

Vitamin C

• antioxidant, limit inflammation and tissue damage associated with immune response
• Boost collagen production for healthy skin, boost activity phagocytes
• Promote growth lympocytes
• Recommended Nutrient Intake, RNI:
  Adult: 70mg/day
  Elderly (>65 years) : 80mg/day
  Pregnancy: 95mg/day
  Lactation: 95mg/day

Zinc 

• Meat (beef & pork), 2.9-4.7mg/100g
• Poultry, 1.8-3.0mg/100g
• Seafood, 1.8-3.0mg/100g
• Nuts & Seeds, 2.9-7.8mg/100g
• Beans & lentils, 1.0-2.0mg/100g
• Wholegrain cereals, 0.5-3.2mg/100g

Note:

• inadequate intakes of essential minerals & vitamins should be avoided.
• Megadose supplements should be avoided, can be harmful sometimes.

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I actually still prefer advises from professional medical doctors & dietitians. They’re more likely to portray overall picture about health including nutrients, lifestyle, sleep cycle, hormonal balance, immunity, body function, physical & mental health and with scientific data. The wellness doctor once told me healthy muscular figure doesn’t mean healthy inside. It’s not just about how fit u look, you’ve got to see overall picture.
Credits:
Parkway Pantai